


You're all the Warmth I Need

by cheritsundere



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Found Family, Friends to Lovers, Friendship, M/M, Oblivious Lance (Voltron), Tales of Zestiria AU, platonic klunk, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-04-29
Updated: 2018-04-29
Packaged: 2019-04-29 13:24:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,253
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14473665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cheritsundere/pseuds/cheritsundere
Summary: In this world, Spirits, or Seraphs as they are better known, and Humans live in perfect harmony with one another in a symbiotic relationship. Humans provide Seraphs with energy through a bond with their happiness while Spirits in turn help Humans with their magical abilities, such as providing light magic in their house, blessing them with luck charms for good fortune in their occupation, or even preparing food or giving transportation to them.Lance has been bonded to his best friend Hunk, an earth seraph, since they were little kids. Together they work at Lance’s family-run grocery store, where Hunk helps grow the produce and Lance does just about anything else. It isn’t until meeting and bonding with an abandoned fire seraph that Lance truly feels his life is complete though. With the new addition to their home, Lance finally has all he really wants in life. This is the story of that fateful day, of the days after that, and of the day that Lance became probably the luckiest human in the world.





	You're all the Warmth I Need

**Author's Note:**

> This fic is part of a collaboration with my wonderful co-creators [infinnitude](https://infinnitude.tumblr.com/) and [vrepit-sals](https://vrepit-sals.tumblr.com/) for the [safeklancewriters](https://safeklancewriters.tumblr.com/) 's mini-bang event. You can find infinnitude's awesome art in this fic and you can also check out vrepit-sals theme piece video over on [youtube](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=el1PpB8HDYA).
> 
>  
> 
> I hope you enjoy reading!

It's not as if today was anything special. Wake up, fix breakfast with Hunk, adjust the light energy in the house before leaving to work, give a blessing to the water seraph at the lake, then head to work. It seemed like a normal day. Nothing new to see here. Well that was what he thought until a stroke of red caught the corner of his eye in the alley on the way to the shop.

 

"...Is this guy okay?" Hunk asked, taking a look at the spirit laying hunched against the wall. Lance could tell from one look that the seraph was not well off.

 

"He's fading," Lance replied, crouching down to get a better look at the adolescent seraph. That wasn't a good sign at all. He was-

 

"Lance, no. Don't do it you don't even know him-" Hunk started, already realizing his best friend's train of thought.

 

"I, Lance Mcclain, ask of your true name. Oh, one of fire, please, accept my bond," Lance announced, disregarding his friend's warning. He couldn't just leave this guy like this. Sure, establishing a bond with someone out of nowhere wasn't exactly the ideal way to go about doing things but what else could he do? If the fire seraph in front of him remained the way he was, bondless and susceptible to malevolence, he would definitely be a goner in no time.

 

"My true name is Fakkeib Guesh...Thank you," a weak voice responded before the spirit disappeared inside of his new vessel. Lance could feel the warmth entire his body, examining how weak the poor seraph's life force felt. He got to him not a moment too soon.

 

"Fakkeib Guesh", huh?

 

Keith the Passionate.

 

-

 

The relationship between humans and seraphs was a pretty convenient system, if Lance did say so himself. Humans would provide their bonded Spirit with energy and a vessel to rest inside of if they were feeling tired and to help protect them from the world's malevolence, or negative energy, while the seraph would help their bonded partner with their magical abilities. Abilities like providing light magic in the house to help illuminate it, giving blessings to allow for good luck in a person's occupation, or even by preparing food or giving transportation with fire magic or air magic. Bonds weren't exactly all sunshine and rainbows though and weren't really supposed to be established on the drop of the hat. At least, that what Lance's mom always told him.

 

Bonds were...complicated. A human could have multiple bonds with different seraphs, so long as they had enough energy to provide for their many partners. The bonds could range from platonic to romantic, and could even be familial in some cases. Hell, Lance had been bonded to Hunk for so long he was basically his 3rd brother. When a seraph and human choose to undergo a bond, they promise to stay with each other through thick and thin, protect one another no matter what may come, and live for one another's happiness. However, it is due to this mindset that makes bonding such a serious matter.

 

And here Lance was. Bonding with a random fire seraph he found basically on the side of the road.

 

"Has he woken up yet?" Hunk asked, while coaxing the tomato in his hand to release from its stem. It never ceased to amaze Lance how awesome of an earth seraph Hunk was. Score one for Lance and his great taste in friends.

 

"Nope. He's still resting. Poor guy was basically on the brink of death. Glad we got to him in time, you know?" Lance replied.

 

"Yeah. About that," Hunk sighed, turning towards his friend. "Look, I'm not saying we should have just left him there, but don't you think that was kind of...?"

 

"Kind of what?" Lance asked, raising an eyebrow. Oh, here it comes.

 

"Hasty?" Hunk finished.

 

Yep, there it was.

 

"What was I supposed to do? Carry him to a blessed domain? You know the only safe haven for unbonded seraphs around here is the lake, and that wouldn't help a fire seraph like him at all and you know it," he crossed his arms, giving Hunk a stern look. "We couldn't just leave him there to become corrupted either. You and I both know what happens to spirits weak enough to be affected by the malevolence."

 

When a seraph became too weak and did not have a partner to rest inside, they had a chance of meeting a fate far worse than death: corruption. A corrupted seraph would fall into despair, and would become a hellion, who was basically a monster, or worse: a dragon. Lance chilled at the thought of it. He couldn't even imagine how scary that would be. Never before had he ever felt so thankful for being a human.

 

"Yeah, but we could have taken him to Allura or something! She has tons more energy than you, being of the royal bloodline and all. She's been wanting a fire seraph for a while now too!" Hunk explained, putting away the now freed tomatoes into a basket.

 

"Hunk, you know Allura has high standards for her partners. She's only had 3 partners and she knew them for years before becoming bonded," Lance replied. Lance loved the princess for sure, but she could be very judgmental when she wanted to be. There's no way she would have bonded with a weak fire seraph she never met before.

 

"It's a special case though, she might have-" Hunk started, putting the tomatoes on display.

 

"She wouldn't. You know that as well as I do," Lance laughed, cleaning off the counter and moving to the entrance of the store.

 

Another sigh. This time, of acceptance.

 

"Okay," Hunk drawled, extending the 'ay' far longer than necessary. "You have a point, I guess."

 

"I know I do, buddy. Now help me get ready to open shop!"

 

-

 

It was well into late in the afternoon that Lance finally felt the warm spirit inside of him begin to stir. By then, he and Hunk had not only sold about half of their produce for the day, but his sister and her partner had finally come in to take over the shift. Lance loved his family-run grocery store, but man was the upkeep hard. Thank god he had Hunk to help grow the products on time, or else he'd always be the weak link in the family since Veronica and her water seraph basically ran the place themselves.

 

That downwards spiraling train of thought came to a halting crash when he felt the fire seraph finally awake. Before he knew it, his new partner was leaving his vessel and appearing before his eyes.

 

And boy. What an appearance it was.

 

Lance didn't really get that good a look at the seraph before offering a bond on account of the circumstances, but now that he was looking at him? Lance could definitely see why spirits were called "seraphs". The fire seraph in front of him really DID look like an angel.

 

Said angel was currently staring back, confusion on his face.

 

"Good morning, er, afternoon. You look a lot better, man," Lance smiled, extending a hand forward. "Let me properly introduce myself now that we have all the time in the world. The name's Lance and I'm looking forward to getting to know you, partner."

 

All at once, confusion melted into a small smile accompanied by a firm handshake. "Wow, so that really did happen. I thought I was just-" the fire seraph cut himself off, "Keith. My name is Keith."

 

"Well Keith, make yourself at home! This is my family's store, although we are really only in the lounge right now. I still have some work to do in the garden, but you are free to take it easy since you are still recovering," Lance said, letting go of his new partner's hand and moving towards the door.

 

"Uh," Keith hesitated, looking almost beside himself.

 

Lance turned towards him, raising an eyebrow, "What's up?"

 

"Don't take this the wrong way or anything. I mean, I'm definitely grateful but-" Keith started, meeting Lance's eyes, "why did you do that?"

 

"Why'd I do what?" Lance asked, crossing his arms and now leaning against the door.

 

"Bond with me," Keith concluded, right to the point.

 

"Because you were obviously dying?" Lance deadpanned, confused as to what was wrong with that logic. Apparently that was the wrong thing to say.

 

"Hold on," Keith glared, shoulders raised, "You seriously bonded with a seraph you know nothing about because they were in trouble? Just like that, no questions asked?"

 

"Uh, yeah?" Lance squinted. What was this dude's problem? Didn't he just say he was grateful?

 

"That's too reckless, what's wrong with you!" He raised his hands, obviously unable to comprehend why Lance would go to such lengths.

 

"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you? If someone saves your life you don't question why they do it, just say thank you and take a chill pill!" Lance mirrored Keith's posture, now closing the gap between them.

 

"I'm questioning it because I'm obviously freaked out that my new life partner apparently makes bonds with random seraphs whenever he feels like it! How many partners do you have?! What number am I?! 34? 60? In the hundreds?!" he demanded, pushing further into Lance's space.

 

"You are only the second!" Lance exclaimed, completely done with this guy. Screw his earlier comment about him being an angel. He hadn't known the guy longer than 5 minutes and he was already feeling a headache. Check off another 'I was right' box for Hunk.

 

"...That's it?" Keith's voice became quiet, reeling back from his previous position.

 

Huh. That's interesting.

 

"Yeah, you are my second. The only other bond I have is my friend Hunk that I've basically known since birth. He's an earth seraph," Lance continued, taking in Keith's now quiet demeanor. "So see, I don't just go around bonding every spirit I cross paths with. I'm not stupid or anything."

 

"So why me then?" Keith looked up, fire sparkling in his eye, "I can't be the only other seraph you've ever come across in a pinch."

 

Ah. 'The Passionate'. Now the title made sense.

 

"Sure, you aren't the first seraph I've ever wanted to help out, but all the others usually weren't that serious or had other partners and were just weakened right then. I've never come across a spirit as old as you who doesn't have a bond," Lance explained, moving to get closer to him. Now he understood why the seraph in front of him was being so cross. He didn't even think about it until now, but it was a pretty important detail. "Why WEREN'T you bonded, by the way?"

 

A flinch.

 

That was all the confirmation Lance needed. He clicked his tongue.

 

"You were abandoned, weren't you?" Lance's eyes softened. Whoever left him obviously did a number on him. If his previous bond was jerk enough to severe the bond and leave him for dead, no wonder the dude had trust issues. "Well, believe it or not, not all us humans are bastards like them."

 

Eyes locked. Head raised.

 

Quietness.

 

Five seconds, then ten.

 

"Do you need some help?" Keith's quiet, yet firm voice broke the silence.

 

"...Uh?" Lance started, completely unabashed in his utter confusion.

 

"You said you needed to finish up some work in the garden, right?" Keith moved closer, still keeping his gaze leveled with the teen in front of him, "So, do you want some help?"

 

He was...

 

"Are you offering?" Lance laughed, moving to open the door.

 

A smirk.

 

Then, a reply.

 

"Yeah. Yeah, I am."

 

-

 

"Wow, that, uh, that works," Lance chuckled, watching flames dance underneath the kettle. Inside were the fixings for what looked to be a fine homemade stew.

 

"You said you needed a fire?" Keith asked, raising an eyebrow.

 

"Yeah, I just forgot that you were a fire seraph so," he shrugged, now turning towards the rest of his chores. This could definitely work. "Okay, next could you help me make some jugs for storing our water?"

 

Usually making pottery took hours on end to even create one jug. Not only that, but with the greater demand for fire-molded products, the prices for jugs, plates, bowls, and literally almost everything else were always extremely high. This led to Lance's family usually making their own containers, despite it taking way more time to make.

 

But, with a fire seraph-

 

"Sure thing," Keith turned, already creating a large fire in the oven which was no doubt also the perfect temperature. "Got the clay?" he finished, holding out a hand.

 

Lance could get used to this.

 

 

 

-

 

He didn't NEED a fire seraph, Lance could admit that. But god did having one make life a lot easier. It was only a month after bonding with Keith and Lance was already hooked.

 

'Wake up and fix breakfast with Hunk' turned into 'Wake up in a toasty bed and be greeted with two smiles and a hot breakfast'. 'Adjust the light energy in the house before leaving to work' turned into 'Asking Keith to put out all the candles and saving hundreds on not needing light energy'. Blessings were still given at the lake and work still needed to be done, but now it came accompanied by a warm body next to his right instead of just his left. An extra hand grabbed his when he was about to step in a puddle or applied a bandage if he ever hurt himself pulling weeds. The garden was growing even better than under Hunk's constant guidance with Keith's steady thermal regulation. Now the grocery store was selling homemade pottery for extra income with how quick and easy Keith's flames could create them.

It was only a month.

 

A month.

 

"Lance, you look kind of cold, do you need me to warm you a bit?" Keith asked, putting a hand on his shoulder.

 

And he already couldn't imagine life without him.

 

-

 

"It's only been a month," Allura glared at Lance over her tea cup.

 

A groan.

 

"I KNOW. I KNOW. JEEZ," Lance answered, sprawled across her table. He knew how pathetic it was. "It's just-"

 

"It's just so easy, I know," Allura finished his sentence for him, her tone drenched in disappointment. "A seraph taking care of you and helping you out in life is wonderful, but there's a fine line between 'being helped by' and 'depending on'. It's wonderful that Keith has enriched your life; in fact, I couldn't be happier that you've gained such a beneficial bond. However, you shouldn't rely on Keith to do everything for you. The way things are, it's not really an equal companionship, wouldn't you say?"

 

Lance looked up. He hadn't really thought of it like that before. Sure he was giving Keith energy and a vessel, but was that really worth all Keith did for him? Keith was the reason they had a heated home and water, warm meals, quality plates and storage containers, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Lance was sure if he actually sat for a while and made a list, the advantages of having Keith around would be endless.

 

And all Lance did was...give him energy?

 

"You're right," Lance announced, completely aware now of his situation. "I'm a lousy partner..."

 

"What?" Allura, choked on her tea, "How did you arrive to that conclusion?!"

 

"Keith's over here, providing me and Hunk with a warm home, food, and a great life, and I'm just giving them energy?! I'm a total waste of space!" Lance moaned, beginning to realize just how little he brought to the table in their relationship.

 

"That's NOT what I meant," Allura smiled sympathetically, moving to correct her earlier statement. "What I meant was, perhaps you should ask Keith to allow you to help. Just because he's a fire seraph doesn't mean he alone has to do all activities requiring fire magic. Not only that, but maybe you should find out why Keith is doing all this in the first place," She laughed.

 

Lance thought at this. 'Why he was doing it?' Shouldn't that be obvious?

 

"He's doing it to help me out...?" he replied, raising a brow.

 

Allura laughed again. "Yes, he is doing it to help out, but you never asked him to do any of his current chores besides the pottery, correct?" she clarified.

 

"Well, no-" Lance started. Sure, he never asked him but-

 

"Rarely do seraphs just 'do' something like that for the sake of it," Allura interrupted. "Whether it's because their partner asks them of it, because they feel obligated to help, or because they have seen their partner struggle, usually a seraph uses their abilities for their partner for a reason. Matt and Shiro, for example, always clean the house for me because they figure I'm tired after a long day at work. Pidge knows after seeing me try to brush my hair that it's much easier on me if she just uses her air magic to style it. I never asked them to, but all of them do these tasks for me because they know it not only makes my life easier, but because I appreciate it. In return, I help them make dinner, provide good meals and a warm home, and tell them they can buy basically whatever might catch their eye at the store. We all go out to watch evening plays together and just enjoy each other's company. It's a mutual companionship."

 

Mutual...

 

"So," she put her tea cup down, meeting Lance's gaze, "all I ask is that you really consider Keith's mindset. The reason I say that you are relying on him too much is that you are currently taking Keith's help at face value, without really giving him an equal amount back. You aren't a 'lousy partner' as you so called it. Just an 'uninformed partner'. Find ways to help him and make your bond equal," she smiled. "Or, if Keith insists on still doing all the work, like I'm sure he will considering how stubborn he is, maybe find something that you can do for him in exchange."

 

Yeah. That could work.

 

"After all," Allura concluded, "You and Hunk never had this problem because you've lived with one another your entire lives. Keith's addition changes the work load though, so you have to change the proportions of labor."

 

"...Allura?" Lance started.

 

"Hm?" she replied.

 

"You sound like a math professor."

 

-

 

Mutual. Ask if he needs help. Find ways to make it equal.

 

"Hey Lance, what do you want for dinner tonight?" Keith glanced over at him, pulling out Hunk's cookbook.

 

Now. This was the perfect chance.

 

"How 'bout you decide tonight? What are you in the mood for?" Lance asked, moving to join him at the counter.

 

Keith raised an eyebrow. "Me? You're the one who really needs to eat though. You know us seraphs don't need food," he frowned.

 

"Well, yeah, but you guys eat with me anyway because you like the taste, right? Hunk and I always choose the meal, so why not make something you like this time?" Lance asked, looking over at the cookbook now. "And I can help you prepare it if you want. You always do all the prep work, even when I'm the one eating it."

 

Lance looked up at the seraph next to him, waiting for his reply. He was greeted with a squint.

 

"You're acting weird," Keith said, no longer paying any attention to the task of dinner.

 

"What do you mean?" Lance hummed, not meeting his gaze.

 

"You never ask to help," he explained, still looking at the teen in front of him.

 

"Well, maybe I should, you always do all the work, it's not really fair, you know?" He replies, giving Keith a small side glance.

 

Shit. Maybe that was too obvious.

 

No reply.

 

Another side glance.

 

Is he mad-

 

"Thanks."

 

Oh.

 

Keith was smiling. Wow. That was. That was some smile.

 

"You don't have to if you don't want to though. You are always talking about how much work tires you out," Keith continued, tucking a stray hair out of his face.

 

Hold on a second. Was that why-

 

"Keith, buddy. My man. Hold on," Lance paused, putting a hand on Keith's shoulder. "Is that why you do all this?"

 

"Do all what?" Keith asked, cocking his head a little.

 

"The food preparing, and the running me a hot bath, and the letting me sleep in and cooking breakfast. You do that because you think I'm...tired from all the work?" Lance continued, full-on rambling at this point.

 

"Well, yeah?" Keith frowned. "You always say that you're sore from doing all the work so I figured a hot bath would be nice. And Hunk likes making the food anyway so all I do is get it ready for him. And you need your rest for the long day-"

 

Oh my god. Allura was right. Keith really was-

 

"You dork, you don't have to do that! I mean, I appreciate it! Definitely! But I'm just a whiner! I'm not really all that sore, you don't have to do all this!" Lance laughed, taking in all the information and filing it away for later. He was ridiculous! Lance wiped away his tears of laughter, looking over at the still-frowning fire seraph. Said frown turned into a full on pout.

 

"I don't HAVE to do it, but you like it, right?" He asked, crossing his arms.

 

"Huh? Well, yeah-" Lance started.

 

"Then there you go. It's the least I can do, anyway," Keith said, turning back to the forgotten cookbook. He flipped the page, apparently searching for what to prepare. After noting the silence from his right, he elaborated. "I mean, you give me a house, a vessel, energy, food if I want it..." he listed, voice tapering off at the end. "And you..."

 

And he?

 

"You make me happy," he huffed out, turning away from him, redness evident on his ears. "I've never...had this before. You and Hunk," he whispered, "are my home. So of course I want to do this for you. You'd do the same for me. In fact, you already do."

 

Well how the hell was Lance supposed to respond to that?

 

"Oh," Lance answered, voice crack betraying his attempt at casualness.

 

"Yeah, so," Keith looked at him, still embarrassingly red.

 

Good. At least this was awkward for him too.

 

"So," Lance continued for him, "what do you want to make for dinner?"

 

-

 

3 months went by somehow even faster than the first month after Keith entered Hunk and Lance's lives. True enough to his words to Allura, Lance had taken up a few more of the responsibilities around the house to put their bond on equal footing. Keith still insisted on doing most of the food prep and making sure Lance only had the most perfectly comfortable baths in the world, but Lance wasn't slouching off either. Little things here and there like buying some sweets from the local bakery for his apparently sweet-toothed fire seraph and buying scented candles that smelled like the woods. Coming across patterns for sweaters and knitting Keith only the softest fabrics known to mankind, because he apparently saw Lance knitting one day and asked with a small smile if maybe he could make him something one day. I mean, who was Lance to turn down such a simple request? Especially after seeing him light up at the finished product. That made it well worth it.

 

Yeah, all in all, Lance could say these last 3 months had been practically heaven on earth. Everything was calm, everyone was happy, and things couldn't be better. Maybe that's why the whiplash of Keith's illness really caught him off guard.

 

It's not as if seraphs never got sick. It mostly happened to water seraphs who were more susceptible to malevolence of course, but all seraphs could become ill. Hell one time, when they were little, Hunk was basically bedridden for a whole week due to how impure the ground became after a hellion attack in the city, resulting in blood being absorbed in the soil. That was one of the scariest weeks of Lance's life.

 

The only problem this time was that it didn't really make sense why Keith got sick. Usually the reason seraphs became ill was due to an increase in the malevolence in the area. Whether such malevolence arises due to war, pandemics causing sickness in the humans and leading to decreasing energy for their bonded partners, or other negative events in a human's life, it didn't just come out of nowhere. Furthermore, Hunk wasn't sick. So it wasn't Lance's energy causing the problem. Which meant the problem lay with Keith.

 

"I wonder what's causing it," Lance whispered to Hunk, applying a cold rag to Keith's forehead.

 

"I don't know. I've never seen someone get sick out of nowhere like this," Hunk's eyebrows scrunched together in frustration. "Is anything bothering you, Lance? Maybe it rubbed off on him? You know I've always been more attuned to your worries, so I don't get affected by most of your anxieties, but Keith..."

 

"Nah, that's just it. I'm the same as always. In fact, since Keith moved in with us I've been even less stressed than usual," Lance frowned, unable to figure what was was causing the problem. "I don't think it's me."

 

"Maybe we should get Coran? He's the most experienced seraph I know. Maybe he has seen something like this before?" Hunk suggested.

 

"Worth a shot. Better than sitting on our hands while Keith's suffering," Lance scuffed his hair, getting up from his seat beside Keith. He needed to get more ice to cool down his fever. A hand reached out to stop him though.

 

"Wait," Keith started, opening his eyes a little, still obviously in pain.

 

"What's up, buddy?" Lance said, grabbing his hand.

 

"Can you stay?" Keith pleaded, voice wobbly and hand shaking.

 

Oh. Keith thought Lance was going with Hunk.

 

"Of course I'm staying with you," Lance laughed, eyes softening. "Leaving you here by yourself never even crossed my mind, Fire-boy."

 

"'Kay," Keith mumbled, losing his grip on Lance's hand and resting his eyes again. Wow, how much effort must it have taken him to even lift his hand like that?

 

"I'll be right back, Lance," Hunk smiled, heading out the door. "Rest well, Keith. I'll be back with Coran in a jiffy."

 

"Thanks, Hunk," Lance smiled back, waving goodbye.

 

Please hurry.

 

-

 

"Hmmm, this IS rather peculiar! He looks worse off than a goblin without his cart!" Coran declared, looking over the ill fire seraph.

 

Lance and Hunk exchanged a look. What the hell kind of goblin drove a cart? Never mind.

 

"So, you don't know what's wrong with him?" Hunk asked, clearly worried.

 

"I have a few theories as to what might be causing it, but I can't say for certain without basically trial and error. Even then, all the theories might be wrong, but we might as well give it a go, wouldn't you agree? Coran asked, turning towards the two teens behind him and away from Keith.

 

"Definitely. Just tell us what you need us to do!" Lance answered, ready to do just about anything for his partner.

 

Coran smiled before opening up his bag. Inside lay a book, a few parchments of paper, and what appeared to be a feather.

 

"I'm sure as you all know, I am the Prime Lord of Allura's father, the Shepard, Alfor. As the Prime Lord of the Shepard, I have the ability to purify malevolence, defeat hellions, and give divine blessings to spirit domains," Coran began, pulling out the book and paper. "The way I do this is by infusing my water magic into these pieces of paper, then placing them on locations."

 

"Yeah, we know Coran, you give us the rundown all the time," Lance chuckled a little. Coran was very proud of his position. After all, not only was it awe-inspiring to even know the Shepard, the savior of the lands who kept the world pure of corruption, but to be one of his companions who helped bring about peace in the world? That was the highest honor of any seraph in the world. Hell, it was Lance's dream to one day ask Alfor to take him as a Squire. Of course, that was just a pipe dream, but still.

 

"The reason why I bring this up is because that means I can remove the malevolence causing young Keith's illness this way," Coran explains, opening his book.

 

"Oh, awesome! So all you have to do is write on that paper and Keith is cured?" Hunk begins, obviously extremely happy with this information.

 

"Sadly, it's not quite as easy as that," Coran smiled bitter-sweetly. "You see, I have to know the cause of it to write down the correct incantation on the parchment. For example, if it was a hellion, I could just write 'hellion' on it in the ancient tongue. So, we will have to try multiple incantations until we find the right one."

 

"But you have a few ideas as to what to write first, right?" Lance asked, recalling Coran's previous words.

 

"Yes. First, I'd like some background knowledge on what you all were doing before Keith got sick. Was anything out of the ordinary? Or perhaps maybe there was a fight between you three?" Coran asked, pulling out a pen to begin writing.

 

Lance and Hunk pondered for a second, trying to recall the events that happened. Nothing seemed different.

 

"Everything seemed fine? We've been getting along just as well as ever. No arguments. I mean, we have disagreements here and there, but it's over stupid stuff like what we want for dinner or who's turn it is to clean the toilet..." Hunk listed off, obviously referring to Keith and Lance's constant insistence on it being the other's turn to do the cleaning around the house. "I mean, at least that's how it is whenever I'm with Keith. Sometimes Lance and him go off and do stuff together whenever I'm visiting Shay or the others, so I don't know if anything happened between them?" Hunk turned towards Lance, hinting at Lance to add on to his statement.

 

"Nothing's happened on my end either. Like Hunk said, Keith and I fight every now and then but it's harmless? Hell, most of the time we end up getting into a competition in the end and then start laughing about it. It's never been anything major..." Lance answered, still trying to think.

 

Wait. There was that one thing. But it couldn't be.

 

Nah.

 

Well. Maybe he should mention it?

 

It was obviously a joke.

 

But.

 

"Well, I mean, there was something we were talking about the day before Keith got sick, but I don't think-" Lance started, waving his hand in a dismissal fashion.

 

"What was it?" Hunk and Coran asked in sync, zooming their attention on him anyway. Obviously this was better than any of their other leads so far, so maybe they had a point.

 

Lance paused. This wasn't really his story to share. After all, it was kind of personal to Keith. But...if it could help him get better....

 

"We were talking about when I first found him. I had always wondered why he wasn't bonded to anyone when we found him. I figured it was that his previous partner left him, but I didn't really understand how someone could do that. I mean, I'd never do that to my partner, even if we had a fight or something," Lance began his story, looking at Coran and Hunk for their reactions. At there attentiveness, Lance continued. "So I asked him why his jerk of a bond partner did that to him and he said it was because he 'wasn't good enough'. I didn't get what he meant at first but Keith went on to say that his previous partner was a mercenary who traveled the world defeating monsters. They came across this huge monster one day though, I think it was a hellion, and it was too strong for them. Keith ended up pushing his partner out of the way of one of the attacks, saving his life. Instead of being thankful though, you know what that asshole said?" Lance paused, disgust taking over his face. "He said 'You're too weak. We lost that fight because of you. I don't need some puny fire seraph who can't even beat a tiny monster as my seraph' and severed their bond. Keith had to basically crawl into the city, injured and everything."

 

"That's downright abhorrent," Coran grimaced, clear disdain for even hearing that someone could be so cruel.

 

"So I told Keith that guy was scum. An absolute loser. And that he didn't know what he was missing. That seemed to cheer him up, but uh," Lance turned away, unable to continue his story.

 

"But what?" Hunk asked, caution laced with dread filling his voice.

 

"Well, I had to go and open my big mouth and make a joke, ruining the moment so-" Lance laughed nervously, still not wanting to face his friends.

 

"Oh god, what did you say this time?" Hunk groaned.

 

"Nothing!" Lance began, trying to explain himself, "I said that he 'didn't have to ever worry about that anymore because he was my seraph now and one man's puny fire seraph was another man's reason for living'. You know, because how I always joke and say his baths bring me back to life. See! I was obviously trying to lighten the mood! But he got all mad and his face turned red, and he stormed off!" He laughed, putting up his hands in a placating motion.

 

The room was quiet.

 

"He's an idiot, isn't he?," a voice croaked out from the bed behind them.

 

"Keith?! You are supposed to be resting," Lance hissed out, making his way over to the ill seraph.

 

"That he is, my boy. That he is," Coran sighed, writing on the piece of parchment.

 

Lance looked over to try and read the incantation. 'Love'? What the hell? Coran reached over, placing the parchment on Keith's forehead and reciting his oath. A small light covered the area, blessing and removing the malevolence from Keith's body. The now healed seraph propped himself upright, raising a hand. Said hand landed smack on the backside of Lance's head. Not enough to actually hurt him, but still, what the hell?

 

"Uh, ow?! What was that for?!" Lance cried out. "I went and get you a purifier, find out what caused the illness apparently, and this is what I get?!"

 

"That's for being a moron and the person who got me sick in the first place!" Keith shouted back, crossing his arms. He leaned back to rest on his pillow, giving a small huff of annoyance.

 

"What do you mean, 'the person who got you sick in the first place'? How was this my fault?!" Lance exclaimed.

 

"Dude, you basically told him you loved him," Hunk laughed, unable to hold it in.

 

"Wait, WHAT?!" Lance shrieked, turning to look at Hunk, obviously embarrassed.

 

"I'm your 'reason for living'," Keith said, putting up air-quotes for more effect. "I mean, how else was I supposed to take that?" He grumbled.

 

...Well, when you put it like that...

 

"So wait, that's why you got sick? Because I said I loved you?" Lance asked, brows raised. Why? Why would THAT make him sick? "Does me loving you gross you out that much?"

 

"WHAT? NO." Keith turned to him, mouth gaping like a fish.

 

"Well then why did you get sick?!" Lance asked, hands in the air.

 

"IT'S LOVE SICKNESS, YOU DUMBASS!" Keith yelled.

 

Silence again.

 

Oh.

 

Ohhhhhhh.

 

"So then-," Lance choked, looking to Coran for some help.

 

"Yes. When seraphs feel strong emotions, even positive ones such as love, they often become unstable if they are unfamiliar with such feelings. Such instability leads to weakness, leading to malevolence absorption, leading to illness. Hence, the term, 'Love Sickness'. From the way I understand it, I'm sure this is the first time you've ever been told such a thing. Is that correct, lad?" Coran smiled at Keith. A curt nod was given.

 

So that was a yes. Oh god, then that meant-

 

"So then it really WAS my fault?!" Lance asked again, aghast at this conclusion.

 

"'Fraid so, buddy," Hunk chuckled.

 

"On the bright side, it has been purified now! And now since both of you are aware of the cause, such an illness will not happen again," Coran chortled. Putting his book and parchment back inside his bag, he made his way to the door to leave. "I'm sure you two have much to discuss with this new information. Shall we leave them be, Hunk?"

 

"Definitely," Hunk smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. "I'll be back in a bit. Play nice." Hunk shut the door behind him, leaving a quiet room behind.

 

"So..." Lance began.

 

"So..." Keith repeated, ending it with a sigh.

 

"...You do know that I DO love you right? Like, it was a joke but it doesn't mean it's not true," Lance asked, giving a small smile.

 

Keith just laughed. He looked over at the teen beside him. The one who gave him a home. The one that said he loved him.

 

The one who he loved back.

 

"Yeah. I do."

 


End file.
